World-famous singer Taylor Swift has already reimbursed New York City $160,000 for the police’s role in supervising her star-studded wedding last weekend, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Friday.
Swift “has paid already the cost of the permit that was lodged, which was over $160,000 for that event and for the response to that event,” he told reporters at an unrelated press conference.
The mayor confirmed the city permit was finalized days before the event. The permit showed multiple streets were closed surrounding Madison Square Garden in downtown Manhattan on July 3 and 4. The blocks surrounding the arena were blocked off from traffic but partially closed to pedestrians.
Swift officially married Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce on the day before the nation’s 250th birthday.
Taylor Swift embraces Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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The wedding strained the city’s public resources, with about 150 to 200 NYPD officers required to work for the event in 100-degree heat. One officer said that some police were having to work 30-hour shifts with no break to protect the celebrity wedding. Swift faced pushback for forcing law enforcement to work overtime.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who was one of those critics, urged the pop singer to pay back the city.
“Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce should reimburse NYPD for the 130 officers needed per day to keep their multi-million dollar, thousand person wedding at MSG safe,” Malliotakis posted on X one day before the wedding. “Our officers are already working overtime for 4th of July festivities & NYC taxpayers should NOT be on the hook.”
Swift’s fans quickly came to the music artist’s defense, noting she already intended to reimburse the New York City government.
Mamdani previously said the city would have to cut back on large-scale events this summer due to the logistical demands posed by the New York Knicks championship series, the World Cup, and America 250 celebrations.
“We have made clear that there would be limitations in terms of what the city would be able to do” in light of such popular events, he said. “However, that would not actually limit New Yorkers’ ability to go to the park, to have a barbecue, to have a lot of the things that were feared about at first.”
TAYLOR SWIFT AND TRAVIS KELCE TAKE OVER MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, SHUT DOWN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN
Despite those concerns, the city decided to provide security for Swift and Kelce’s wedding, which attracted roughly 1,000 guests. Musicians, sports players, Hollywood stars, and other celebrities were among those in attendance.
Meanwhile, the general public celebrated by gathering outside Madison Square Garden and watching digital billboards flash celebratory “JUST&T MARRIED!” messages in honor of the newly married couple.
